Friday, January 23, 2015

Finish It Up Friday :: A Tale of Two Quilts, part 1

Happy Friday everyone! We lived through another week. Our weather has been mostly cold and rainy (which I confess I love, but all my hobbies are indoor ones so it makes sense) but last weekend we had a day that was just gorgeous. So I took advantage and got a quilt photographed while my child played at the park. Win/win :-)

I've been working on a couple commissioned quilts made from works shirts and this is the first of the two. I cut large blocks from the shirt backs (which you'll see in the second quilt) and I cut the arms and fronts into 2.5" strips so a jelly roll type quilt seemed like a good fit. I'm so pleased with how it turned out!

I love the idea of repurposing clothing to make quilts, kind of a back-to-the-future type of quilting. It also reminds me of what the Gee's bend quilters did - when I saw that exhibit years ago I fell HARD in love with a quilt that one lady had made of her deceased husband's old work clothes. She was literally wrapping herself in his love and memory, which seems like the highest level of comfort and function any quilt could aspire to.

This quilt has flannel on the back and was quilted with a wavy line to balance all the straight lines. Bound in a navy blue to contrast with all the light blues of the shirt.

I know I already commented on your Instagram but I love this. I made a quilt for someone a few weeks ago with their grandmothers clothes - she passed away a few years ago and it was so beautiful and meaningful to have something warm and comforting made with her things. I felt so lucky to get to make that quilt! And I looove the designs you've used for yours!